Prestwick Airport needs a new name, whether it's Burns, or even Elvis

Nationalisation is the only option for Prestwick Airport, the loss of which
would hit Scotland’s prestige

Why should an airport that pretends it’s in Glasgow, when it’s 30 miles from that city, and which has only one major commercial operator, be saved from closure at the taxpayers’ expense?

Those are but two of the questions with which the Scottish Government has had to wrestle in relation to Prestwick Airport, the first of which is its official, but entirely risible, name: “Glasgow Prestwick International Airport.”

The second is the airport’s main operator — Ryanair — which is believed to be extremely happy with the name, given that although it’s in Ayrshire, not Glasgow, it is actually closer to the city it’s named after than some of the other Ryanair destinations throughout Europe. For instance, Beauvais is 49 miles from Paris, the city Ryanair claims it serves.

The answer to the “why” question is obvious. There are just too many jobs — about 3,200 directly or indirectly — connected with the airport to allow it to close, which is what appeared likely given the scale of the losses being sustained by its present owners, New Zealand-based Infratil. And then there’s the question of prestige, both regional and national, of allowing such a famous airport to go to the wall.

It is one of the few fog-free airports anywhere, and it was, after all, where Elvis Presley set foot on British soil for the one and only time while he was en route to his national service in Germany.

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It is difficult to argue with the decision announced yesterday by Nicola Sturgeon, the Deputy First Minister, who also has responsibility for infrastructure, to begin the process of taking Prestwick into public ownership. From my eyrie in the cheap seats, I noticed no socialist glee in her demeanour in announcing this state acquisition, merely a matter-of-fact acceptance that it was either that or closure, there being no private sector buyers. At least, there are none yet, although Ms Sturgeon, herself an Ayrshire lass, says that it is her intention to seek to return it to the private sector in the fullness of time.

There was all-party agreement to the takeover, and enthusiastic agreement at that, with John Scott, the Tory MSP for Ayr, welcoming Ms Sturgeon’s announcement as lifting the uncertainty that the threat of closure had brought about. Ditto James Kelly for Labour, who said there was no other alternative to state ownership.

The minister had nothing to say about whether there will be a purchase price paid to the current owners for the airport: that is still to be decided. However, given the state of Prestwick’s finances, one cannot imagine that it will be very much at all. But she did say that the Scottish Government would be allocating some £7 million to keep the airport open and operating, which she took pains to reassure all those who use it and who may have booked flights — both passengers and commercial concerns — would be the case.

Ms Sturgeon did her normally efficient job in explaining her government’s view about what’s to be done, but, from my vantage point, I would suggest that marketing the place better, as well as getting the infrastructure right, are the two main priorities. On the latter point, it does have a rail station but too often passengers on late-arriving flights find themselves forking out for expensive taxi rides to — yes — Glasgow.

But it’s the name that’s all wrong. Adam Ingram, a local SNP MSP, suggested changing it to the Robert Burns International Airport. I’m not sure about that name, but it has quite a bit to recommend it and at least it’s more honest than the present title.

Ryanair might have something to say about such a change but unless they’re prepared to cough up a bit more towards the airport’s renewal from their £500 million profits, as Jim Hume of the Lib Dems suggested, then perhaps their views shouldn’t be regarded as all-important.

Getting Burns into the airport’s name would be appropriate for an Ayrshire setting, but given the new owners, what about using everyone’s nickname for Ms Sturgeon?

The Wee Nippy International Airport: has a certain ring to it, don’t you think?